Business News

Leading hospitality charity Springboard has helped 1,500 young Midlanders secure jobs in hospitality as part of its ‘Springboard to 2022’ initiative, which sought to support 10,000 people nationwide into employment in the sector.

The initiative saw the charity help thousands of people from all walks of life find employment, including Ukrainian refugees, care leavers, those with mental and physical health conditions, and various other barriers.

SIFA Fireside’s Michael McMillan, Melissa Roche, Natalie Allen with Colemans’ Mark Coleman Birmingham demolition contractor Colemans celebrated 60 years in business with a £64,000 donation to local charity, SIFA Fireside, after a year of fundraising activities.

Colemans, a family business founded by John and Norah Coleman in October 1962, hosted a 60^th anniversary dinner where they presented a cheque for £60,000 to Birmingham-based SIFA Fireside.

As snow and ice wreaked havoc on UK roads over the weekend and caused thousands of accidents and breakdowns, leading rural insurer NFU Mutual recorded its busiest day of the year for motor insurance claims.

Monday morning saw twice the usual volume of accident or breakdown notifications to NFU Mutual, and with the Met Office’s Cold Weather Alert in force until Friday 16 December, the leading rural insurer is calling on motorists to take action to avoid endangering themselves and their vehicles.

A unique community scheme funded by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has helped over 1,100 people either get into work or improve their employment prospects.

Connecting Communities, an employment support pilot programme funded by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and overseen by the WMCA, provided people with tailored job advice and specialist support in the heart of their own neighbourhoods.

Cyber security specialists Digital Craftsmen has put together a  Christmas security checklist to help business directors enjoy Silent Nights over the festive period.

Simon Wilcox, MD of Digital Craftsmen says: “After a busy year, it’s right that business teams are looking forward to a restful break with their families.

The Chancellor Jeremy Hunt heard directly from oil and gas companies in a Fiscal Forum meeting in Edinburgh.

During discussions, he highlighted the importance of energy security in the aftermath of Russia’s war with Ukraine, and said that the Government continues to recognise the importance of the sector and the value of its investments.

In Edinburgh the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, will announce a package of over 30 regulatory reforms to secure the UK’s place as the world’s foremost financial centre. The “Edinburgh Reforms” will build on the unparalleled strength of the UK’s financial services sector, taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the UK’s exit from the European Union to tailor regulations to suit the country’s needs.

Workers at the ASIRT charity in Birmingham have announced they will take strike action on 21 December in response to a range of issues with the management of the charity and a refusal to recognise their trade union of choice.

The striking workers, members of the United Voices of the World (UVW) union, are calling for the charity to stop the planned dissolution and instead keep providing vital services to the migrant and refugee communities in Birmingham.

Superscript has ranked Wolverhampton as the top entrepreneurial city in the UK in a recent nationwide survey. 

The City of Wolverhampton was pinpointed as the most successful city with the highest growth in new small businesses, according to a survey of over 1,000 entrepreneurs.

New analysis reveals that Reading is home to the keenest investors in the UK. The study, by UK financial services provider CMC Markets, examined Google Ads data to discover the average monthly search volume for investment-related search terms across the most populated areas of the UK, to determine which areas are most interested in investing.

Paperplanes, UK's leading programmatic direct mail marketing capability, today announced new business initiatives to reinforce the company's commitment to green business practices. The company is partnering with environmental organisation TeamTrees and promising a donation towards reforestry.

Teamtrees began as the most ambitious influencer of public crowdfunding, raising over $24 million by July 2022, and continuously raising to plant in new areas and projects around the globe.

Dudley’s independent traders enjoyed their moment in the spotlight as the borough marks Small Business Saturday.

Residents were urged to show their support for local small businesses on the tenth anniversary of the national event, which celebrates the vital contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises to the UK economy.

The approach of a new year usually brings a frisson of excitement, with the promise of fresh starts and a business climate packed with people reinvigorated after the Christmas break. Yet with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt confirming that the UK economy has fallen into recession, many businesses are finding it tougher than usual to think positively as we head towards 2023.

The Bank of England’s expectation that the “prolonged” recession will last into the first half of 2024 certainly doesn’t help when it comes to being optimistic.

Midlands-based planning consultancy Marrons Planning is expanding its service lines and geography with the creation of a new Bristol-based architecture team as part of the consultancy’s growth strategy into the South West. To reflect its growing service offering including planning, master planning, architecture, urban design and socio-economics, the brand is also updating its name and going to market as ‘Marrons’.

HSBC says it will close 114 more branches in the UK from April, as customers using them have fallen significantly since the pandemic. The bank said it would try to redeploy affected staff but that about 100 would lose their jobs.

Banks have closed hundreds of branches in recent years as more people bank online and lenders cut costs. HSBC said it will invest tens of millions updating and improving its remaining 327 UK branches.

A trainee solicitor who showed drive and determination to pursue a career in law has been named ‘Apprentice of the Year’ at a regional awards ceremony.

Holly Moxon from Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors picked up the award at the 2022 in-Cumbria Business Awards which took place at The Halston in Carlisle. Holly was the first apprentice solicitor in Cumbria and is currently five years into a six-year apprenticeship with Cartmell Shepherd, which operates across Cumbria and Northumberland.

After her original plan to study law at university didn’t work out, she spotted an opening for an 18-month apprenticeship in business administration at the legal firm and identified it as an alternative way to get started in the industry. During her initial apprenticeship, she impressed the team with her positive attitude, enthusiasm and hard work which led to Cartmell Shepherd offering her a position as an apprentice solicitor.

Holly now uses her experience to inspire other young people to consider apprenticeships, giving career talks at local schools and events and acting as a mentor for those keen to follow a similar path. She said: “I think it’s important that young people are aware of alternative opportunities which are available.

“My apprenticeship allows me to combine work and study which means I can put into practice the theory I’ve learnt at university through practical, on-the-job experience. The team at Cartmell Shepherd are fantastic and have encouraged and supported me throughout my training.

“As part of my apprenticeship, I get to spend time in all of the firm’s departments which gives me a high quality understanding of different aspects of the profession.” Holly’s course involves one day of online study each week through a programme run by the BPP University in Manchester, with the other four days spent working at Cartmell Shepherd.

Managing Director of Cartmell Shepherd Solicitors, Peter Stafford, said: “Legal apprenticeships offer great opportunities to identify and nurture talent. Holly is a great asset to Cartmell Shepherd and we are delighted that her hard work, commitment and dedication have been recognised by winning this award.”

Now in its sixth year, the in-Cumbria Business Awards celebrate the achievements of Cumbria’s business community across 12 categories. Cartmell Shepherd recently launched a new training programme offering graduates a more flexible route to qualifying as a solicitor.

As part of the scheme, law graduates have the chance to work part-time as a paralegal for Cartmell Shepherd while studying for their Law Practice Course (LPC) professional qualification, gaining valuable, on-the-job experience.